Interestingly one violation is connected to Oklahoma's most notorious public figure,
Gene Stipe. Gene Stipe, has a long political affiliation with the Attorney
General and his family. See foot note [Ref N103]
Attorney General Edmondson has always turned his back on
corruption involving public officials even when the corruption is well publicized.
Any involvement only comes in the last stages when others have investigated
and established a case. Edmondson then steps in to grab headlines, spending
more time on press announcements than legal actions.
That was until his name started surfacing in multiple campaign
fund violations. First, in connection with the FBI investigation of
Gene Stipe and Gang, straw donor affair. Second, Auditor and
Inspector Jeff McMahan's campaign. All coming in a short time the spring of
2007.
Sensing the heat of exposure, Edmondson suddenly became highly
visible in illegal campaign funding cases. Within a matter of days the Edmondson took control of the
OSBI's county commissioner campaign investigation to call a news conference as a platform
to publicly proclaim "We have proceeded against political corruption, regardless of
party."
Note: The Owl has no quarrel with the investigation and charges. Rather the
timing of the announcement, suggest misuse of the case for political gain. Something that
if rushed, could jeopardize the case.
Then within the next 3 days taking advantage of the professional courtesies
that come with the office Attorney General, Mr. Edmondson, imposed himself on a visit
to the US Attorney handling the investigation of the Gene Stipe and Gang's
litany of crimes. Since this investigation
was covering the straw donor campaign which the AG and political allies have been connected,
this was an obvious breech of professionalism and ethics. A breech the AG tried to disguise by
claiming his intent was to offer his services to the assist in the investigation.
In investigating
an area of illegal activity he has previously totally ignored.
See Oklahoma Attorney General tries horning in on federal case.
[Ref A128]
a href="../AttorneyGeneral/HornsInOnStipecase.cfm">[Ref A128]
An act so obvious any reasonable person aware of the situation would view as a violation
of ethical behavior. Further pointing to an act of desperation since the state Ethics
Commission was already looking at yet another campaign fund violation, involving
Mr. Edmondson, and state Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan.
In addition Mr. Edmondson's donation, Mr. McMahan is tied
into the Gene Stipe Straw Donor investigation. The web of corruption has
many paths crossing back and forth through same people more than once.
Everything points to the following motivates being the real reason behind the visit.
-
Hopefully pickup some hints from the Feds on what the FBI might know, were they were headed,
and any names that might be floating around.
-
Spin the visit into a claim of aggressive efforts toward illegal campaign contributions.
The AG's ill advised timing in trying to fool the people into thinking he was closing
the barn door after, when everyone knew, the horses were long gone. Demonstrating once
more the AG's only interest is protecting his own image. With a poorly written play.
The timing and the flimsiness of the acts show a desperate official, further illustrating
the ever too often occurrences of flawed judgment and general ineptness.
In the mold of Barney Fife.
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Reference notes
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N103 |
Drew Edmondson is a member of one Oklahoma's longest standing political families.
His father was a U.S. Congressman.
His uncle a Governor of Oklahoma and appointed U.S. Senator.
His brother is a current Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice.
A family that has been in bed with the good ol' boy power structure for
over 50 years. A political history that runs parallel with Gene Stipe's tenure.
The Attorney General is in office, because the power structure knows where
the stands. That is out of the way!
You will note the Attorney General has conveniently ignored Gene Stipe for all of these years,
until just recently when an FBI investigation associated his name with Stipe's illegal campaign
contributions.
[Ref A122]
Note: We will defer any comments regarding the Attorney General's brother,
James Edmondson as we have not followed his career.
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